A research review published in Mechanisms of Aging and Development considered 10 studies on the use of Alpha-GPC among patients with various dementia disorders. Overall, the authors found that using Alpha-GPC improved patients’ conditions, especially regarding cognitive symptoms like memory and attention.
Some research indicates that Alpha-GPC may help you shore up motivation. A recent single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study found that healthy individuals who took daily Alpha-GPC supplements for two weeks felt more motivated than before they started the trial. While the exact mechanism of action remains unclear, the study authors hypothesized that the mental shift was due to an interaction with dopamine circuits in the brain.
Additional human research suggests Alpha-GPC may acutely support cognitive performance in healthy adults. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study of healthy men, single doses of Alpha-GPC were associated with improvements on the Stroop test, a standardized measure of attention, processing speed, and cognitive control.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published by the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition compared the performance-enhancing effects of Alpha-GPC to caffeine and a placebo. Researchers measured participants’ moods, reaction times, speed, agility, power and hand-eye coordination. While they observed large individual variability between subjects, researchers determined that Alpha-GPC supplementation was beneficial for physical and mental tasks. Additionally, participants who took Alpha-GPC experienced less jitteriness than those who were given caffeine.
A 2017 animal study suggests that Alpha-GPC could improve outcomes for individuals with epilepsy — but the timing and length of treatment may be critical. Rats with induced seizures were given daily intramuscular injections of Alpha-GPC for three weeks starting three weeks after experiencing a seizure. Unlike rats who received one or three weeks of treatment immediately after their seizures, those whose treatment started three weeks later demonstrated improved cognitive function and increased neurogenesis.
For those looking to maximize their gym gains, Alpha-GPC supplementation may be worth exploring. As part of a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, researchers administered a single dose of Alpha-GPC to resistance-trained men prior to a workout (the control group was given a placebo). They found that participants in the experimental group had significantly higher levels of exercise-induced growth hormone and were able to generate more force when bench pressing.
